‘I think every night this time of year is a must-win,’ said Ducks defenseman Hampus Lindholm, right. ‘You won’t win them all but at least put an effort out there so you can go home and at least feel good about what you put on the table.’ (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo)

ANAHEIM — The Ducks are down to their last dozen games to make a final push for the playoffs and they’ll host the Vancouver Canucks at Honda Center in what amounts to a must-win type of game Wednesday night.

Having moved into playoff position last week, the Ducks (34-24-12) are back out of it as a loss to St. Louis on Monday to start their homestand was their third straight defeat in regulation. Until then, they had not gone more than two games without gaining at least one point.

While the Ducks have hit their current stumble, the Kings and Colorado Avalanche have moved ahead of them. Colorado, which factors into the wild-card race, has a game in hand on both Southern California teams, who are also jockeying for third place in the Pacific Division.

“I think every night this time of year is a must-win,” defenseman Hampus Lindholm said. “You won’t win them all but at least put an effort out there so you can go home and at least feel good about what you put on the table.”

John Gibson (25-17-6, 2.53 GAA, .924 save percentage) will be back in net looking to continue his mastery of the Canucks. Gibson is 5-1-1 with a 1.56 goals-against average and two shutouts in seven lifetime meetings. He was on an 8-1-1 run overall but has allowed four goals in losing each of his last two starts.

Even with former Canucks goalie Ryan Miller drawing both starts against Vancouver this season, Carlyle emphasized that Gibson is the clear preferred option in net as he has been the undisputed No. 1 goalie all season.

“Usually you go with your gut,” Ducks coach Randy Carlyle said. “We’re in a situation where we’re going to go with our guy. I don’t think we’re any different than anybody else. You’re in the playoff hunt and you’re scrambling for points, you’re going to go with your best people.

“It just so happens that we have two guys who fit that bill. Now you always take a look at the record against certain teams. But in the end, you have to focus on what’s the best for your group. If you’re not going to put the best people on the ice and you’re not going to have the best lineup, then you’re doing your team an injustice.”

The team had an optional morning skate but it appears rookie Marcus Pettersson might be kept out again if Francois Beauchemin and Kevin Bieksa are kept together as the third pair on defense. Pettersson was among the final skaters off the ice.

Carlyle has long trumpeted the physical aspect of his two veterans but Bieksa was a minus-3 against the Blues and is now a minus-13 in what’s been a rough third season with the Ducks. Still, the coach has faith in both being able to be effective as a pair and make it hard on opposing forwards to score from in close.

“If you look at both players, they’re warriors,” Carlyle said. “They’re competitive people. They’re not people who you ever have to instill that competitive spirit into them. If anything, you got to tame it down, those pair.

“We look for puck-moving ability and to be a solid defensive partnership so that we can trust players to put them out in certain situations. We don’t expect to play them the 20-plus minutes a night. We don’t expect them to have to be the go-to guys. We want them to support our lineup in a positive manner.”

If he sits, Pettersson will do so for the third time in four games. Antoine Vermette and J.T. Brown are expected to remain healthy scratches.

Here is the projected lineup for the Ducks:

Rickard Rakell-Ryan Getzlaf-Corey Perry

Andrew Cogliano-Ryan Kesler-Jakob Silfverberg

Nick Ritchie-Adam Henrique-Ondrej Kase

Jason Chimera-Derek Grant-Chris Kelly

Cam Fowler-Brandon Montour

Hampus Lindholm-Josh Manson

Francois Beauchemin-Kevin Bieksa

Having lost four straight in regulation and seven of their last eight overall, the Canucks (25-36-9) are playing out the string as they’re only positioning is more about the draft lottery and the possibility of landing the No. 1 overall pick, which is widely considered to be Swedish defenseman Rasmus Dahlin.

This is the kind of opponent the Ducks have tended to stumble against as they’ve often been guilty of playing down to the level of inferior opponents. They see where they could be going against a team that can play more wide open and not worry as much about making mistakes.

“They’re going to be playing loose,” Ritchie said. “They’re kind of just playing for next year almost. So it can be a tough team to play. But I think we should be a desperate team tonight and really come at them.”

The Ducks have had their way with Vancouver in recent years. They’ve won both meetings this season and are 16-3-4 over the last 22 matchups. And they’ll get Jacob Markstrom (18-23-6, 2.74 GAA, .910 save percentage) in goal. Markstrom played against them on Nov. 9, stopping 31 of 35 shots in a 4-1 loss.

Vancouver is besieged by injuries. Brock Broeser, its brightest star this season, might be lost for the remainder of the season after suffering a back injury on March 5 when falling back into the Canucks’ open bench door after being checked by the New York Islanders’ Cal Clutterbuck.

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The injury might have wrecked Boeser’s chances of winning the Calder Trophy as the league’s top rookie. Boeser still leads all first-year players with 29 goals, but the Islanders’ Mathew Barzal has stretched his points lead to 14 as he now has 69 to Boeser’s 55.

Defenseman Erik Gudbranson has already been shut down and will undergo shoulder surgery, while forwards Loui Eriksson (rib) and Sven Baertschi (separated shoulder) are also lost for the season. Forwards Markus Granlund (ankle surgery) and Brendan Gaunce (lower body) remain out.

Rugged defender Chris Tanev is working his way back from a leg fracture but is expected to miss his 16th consecutive game. Left wing Brendan Leipsic has two goals and four assists in seven games since being acquired from Vegas for defenseman prospect Philip Holm.

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